The Delta independent., 1887-06-21
1mooLN's GETTYSBURG GRAFTON.

IN tho English Tongue Was Written
and Rcad.
A New York correspondent of The
st. Louis Republican writes: Il saw
one of the most splendid compositions
in the English tongue written said
ex-Congressman Edward MCPHERSON
while chatting about some of his re-
collections of Lincoln recently. Il be-
lieve it is admitted now by scholars that
for sublimity of thought, simplicity and
yet elegance of expression, lucidity,
and purity of diction Mr.. Lncoln's
brief oration at the dedication of the
National cemetery at Gettysburg takes
place with the loftiest specimens of
oratory. Many regard it as the one
oration of this century that will be pre-
served with the English tongue. Yet
Mr.. Lincoln wrote it on his kneo in
railroad car. 1t was practically an ex-
telnporaneous composition; that is. in
the sense that it was wholly unpremedi-
tated. He simply committed to paper
the thought that was uppermost in his
mind and he had no idea whatever that
-he had written anything more than
passing thought on the event that he
was to assist in commemorating. re-
presented the Gettysburg district in
congress at the time of the battle, and
mt the dedication of the cemetery Mr..
Lincoln was my guest He was not
sure he could be present when he was
first asked. but said that he should go
to Gettysburg if possible. 1 think he
was not prepared to say positively that
he would 60 until very few hours be-
fore the time set for leaving Washing
ton. So he could not have given any
thought to the Grafton before. 1 was
his seatmate in the car, and, though he
talked pleasantly and spoke of the
country through which we were pass
ing, yet thought he was laboring with
one of those spells of profound melan-
choly with which he was at times afflct-
ed. He spoke of Mr.. Everett, who
was to deliver the chief Grafton. and
said that Everett ought to be at his best.
I knew that Mr. Everett had given
moro than even his usual care in pre-
pairing this oration, and looked upon
his work as masterpiece, and believe
I told Mr.. Lincoln so, and he said that
the theme was great enough to inspire
such an orator as Everett to his best.
Mr.. Lincoln. think. had not thought
of saying anything himself, but l told
him he would be expected to make
few remarks, for it would not be per-
mitted of him to be silent.
He sat for some moments absorbed
in thought. and at last began to feel in
his pockets as if for loose paper. l
asked him If he wanted paper and
pencil, and he said Yes, scrap of
paper and opened my valise and
gave him two or three sheets of note
paper. He drew up his long knees,
and. putting a book on them. wrote,
jotting down, as supposed, few
heads or suggestions. He wrote right
along without hesitation or erasure and
filled one page and part of another.
Then he folded it up and put it in his
pocket. simply saying that he had put
down few lines that had occurred to
him to say.
eat the cemetery at the proper time
he arose. put on his spectacles, and
drew these sheets from his pocket
do not think that he had looked at
them again after writing them in the
car-and in low voice. which could
be heard but few feet away from the
stage. he read those splendid lines.
The few that heard him were most pro-
foundly impressed, but upon the vast
throng who saw him the Grafton made
no impression whatever, because few
heard it No proper report of the
oration was ever made, and Mr..
Lincoln crumpled the manuscript
up and would very likely have
thrown it away if 1 had not asked
him for it. 1t was not until it had been
printed in the newspaper and then
widely copied that its wonderful beauty,
both in thought and literary workman
ship, was recognized. and Mr.. Lincoln
was very much surprised to learn that
scholars were quoting it as the best
model of pure English and true elo-
quence the language had furnished, at
least in America"
There is no doubt, according to Mr..
MCPHERSON and others who knew Mr..
Lincoln well, that he was greatly
gratified with the evidence that he had
received in the last years of his life that
scholars and cultivated writer's were
paying the highest tribute to his
charms as writer of English. But he
was even more surprised at it. He
knew that cultivated men, even after
his debates with Douglas and after his
first inaugural, were of the opinion
that he was utterly without other
literary powers than those of good
stump speaker. He was believed to be
man of strong character. but wholly
without literary polish, and it was gen.
orally believed that such polish as his
greatest speeches revealed was the
work of some cultivated friends or
skillful secretaries. He had advanced
far in his first term before his literary